'A World Cup for them not us': Fans' anger at US travel bans and visa restrictions

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: 'A World Cup for them not us': Fans' anger at US travel bans and visa restrictions14 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleNadia HuraimiBBC News ArabicAbdulla AdnanIraqi fan Abdulla Adnan has been unable to get a visa to travel to the US to see his country playWhen Iraq's football team qualified for the World Cup at the end of March, Abdulla Adnan bought tickets for his country's matches against Norway and France, which will be played in the US cities of Boston and Philadelphia this month. "To go to a match, a stadium, a crowd, cheering, and see my team - that is worth the world to me," he says. "It's a feeling that no other feeling can compare to.

" This is only the second time Iraq has qualified for the World Cup - the first was in 1986. But getting a visa is proving difficult. And Adnan is not alone.

The Details

Fans from more than a quarter of the countries taking part in the World Cup are facing travel bans, tighter restrictions or high visa rejection rates, analysis of travel data by the World Service shows. However, Iraq is not on Trump's travel ban list, so in Adnan's case, the obstacle was an unexpected one. After the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, the US suspended routine consular services in Iraq due to concerns about security in the region.

This means there is nowhere in the country where Adnan and other Iraqi fans can get visas, as they have to attend an in-person interview. So Adnan travelled to neighbouring Jordan to try to get a visa at the US embassy there. But when he arrived for his appointment, staff told him that because he wasn't a Jordanian citizen, that embassy could not give him a visa.

The tickets for the match and the trip to Jordan cost him about $1,800 (£1,300). Adnan considered applying for visa in Turkey, but the as the process could take up to two weeks, he decided that he couldn't spend that much time away from home. He has given up on trying to get a visa.

What Experts Say

Fans from several countries have told the World Service that other obstacles are also causing widespread anger and upset. Julien Kouadio AdonisJulien Kouadio Adonis, pictured with members of the Ivory Coast's fan association, says travel restrictions are "a form of segregation" One of the barriers is President Trump's list with bans and greater restrictions on visas for certain countries, including four competing at the World Cup - Haiti, Iran, Senegal and Ivory Coast. This means their citizens are barred from receiving the type of visitor visa that US authorities recommend for fans.

Strict immigration policies and a clampdown on undocumented migrants were a key part of Trump's re-election campaign in 2024. US authorities say their system needs to be rigorous due to the challenges they face in managing the huge flow of people that cross the country's borders.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.